Page 15 of Soul Bound (Cursed Descent (MistHallow Academy) #2)

15

MATILDA

Vex walks me to the edge of the boundary line a few minutes before dawn. Luc and Draven are waiting there, and I smile in relief. “Thank the gods. I was worried.”

Luc pulls me to him and kisses me deeply. I feel a tug on my soul before the icy tendrils of Draven’s death magick weave their way into my core. Luc lets me go with a wicked smile. “You ready for this?”

“You’re not going to tell me what happened when you went home?”

“It wasn’t very fruitful,” Draven replies, brushing his lips over mine as his magick lingers in my body before he pulls it back. “Xavier wasn’t being threatening when she came to you. She saw an opportunity and took it.”

I shiver. “Oh. Okay. Well, that’s something, I suppose.”

“We’ll leave you to your training now,” Vex says. “We’ll talk more later.”

I nod and watch them leave as Morrigan strides up purposefully. Her red hair glows like embers in the gloom.

“Good morning, Matilda,” she greets me warmly. “Are you ready to begin?”

I nod, trying to hide my nervousness. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Morrigan smiles knowingly. “Don’t worry. We’ll start slow.” She gestures for me to follow her into the forest, creating an orb that gives us enough light to see by.

As we walk deeper among the ancient trees, I feel the air around us change. It becomes charged, alive with an energy that must be that magick Blackthorn spoke of. Morrigan leads me to a small clearing. The lightening sky is barely visible above the canopy of leaves overhead.

“This will be our training ground,” she says. “Now, I want you to sit and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing.”

Okay. I guess we are diving right in. I do as she instructs, settling onto the mossy ground and letting my eyes drift shut. Morrigan’s voice guides me into a meditative state.

“Reach out with your senses,” she says softly. “Feel the energy of the forest around you. The trees, the earth, the air are all connected by threads of magick.”

I take a deep breath and try to focus my senses outward as Morrigan instructed.

“Go slowly. Don’t rush it,” she murmurs.

I nod and pull back the tidal wave of power that is trying to escape. It’s a vast, intricate web of energy pulsing all around me.

“I’ve got it.”

Morrigan smiles. “Good. Now, I want you to try to touch it. Slowly. This isn’t about haste. It’s about control. Every movement is precise, controlled.”

Tentatively, I grasp one of the threads mentally. It responds, and a tendril of energy curls towards me.

Slowly, carefully, I wrap it around me. It flows into me like cool water, filling me with a tingling sensation. As I connect more deeply to my magick, my awareness expands.

As the forest’s energy flows into me, my awareness expands outward in rippling waves. I can sense the life force of every tree, every plant, every creature around us. The intricate web of magick pulses with ancient power.

Suddenly, I feel a sharp tug, as if something is trying to pull the energy away from me. My eyes snap open in alarm.

Morrigan is watching me intently. “What happened?” she asks.

“I felt something pulling at the magick,” I explain, my heart racing. “Like it was trying to take it from me.”

She nods thoughtfully. “The forest’s power can be unpredictable. It may have been testing you or reacting defensively to your presence.”

“Should I try again?” I ask uncertainly.

“Yes, but this time, imagine yourself as part of the forest. Don’t try to control or direct the energy. Just let it flow through you naturally.”

I close my eyes again and focus on merging my energy with the forest around me. This time, when I reach out, the magick responds more gently. It swirls around and through me, no longer feeling foreign or threatening.

As I relax into the flow of energy, images begin to flash through my mind of ancient rituals performed in this clearing, Druids communing with nature spirits, and the slow growth of seedlings into towering trees over centuries.

The visions grow more intense. I see flashes of ancient battles; blood spilt on sacred ground. The images shift to more recent times, and I see Night performing dark rituals in the forest, channelling corrupted energy. Then I see myself and the guys on the altar underground, our energies merging in ecstasy as we unknowingly feed power to something sinister.

My eyes fly open. “I saw visions of the past, I think.”

Morrigan nods, her expression grave. “The forest holds many memories. What did you see?”

I describe the visions to her, my voice shaking slightly as I recount the dark rituals and our unwitting part in them.

“This confirms what we suspected,” Morrigan says. “The ancient magicks are stirring, seeking to return to their primal state. Your bloodline carries great power, dormant for generations, but now reawakening. The forest recognises this in you.”

I take a shaky breath. “So, what do we do now?”

“We continue your training,” Morrigan says firmly. “You must learn to harness and control this power within you. It’s the only way to protect yourself from those who would seek to use you.”

“Okay. What’s next?”

Morrigan studies me for a moment. “I think it’s time we try something a bit more active. Stand up and face that large oak tree.”

I do as she instructs, eyeing the massive oak warily. Its gnarled trunk and sprawling branches radiate an aura of ancient power.

“Now, I want you to reach out with your magick and connect to the tree’s life force,” Morrigan says. “Don’t try to control it, just establish a link.”

Taking a deep breath, I extend my senses toward the oak. I feel the slow, steady pulse of the tree’s energy. It is vast and patient, the culmination of centuries of growth.

“Good,” Morrigan murmurs. “Now, very gently, try to coax a small branch to bend toward you.”

I frown, picturing a slender branch curving in my direction. To my amazement, a twig nearby bends slowly.

My excitement causes my focus to waver, and the branch snaps back into place.

“Don’t lose your concentration,” Morrigan cautions. “Maintain the connection and try again.”

I nod and refocus, reaching out to the tree again. This time, I keep my excitement in check as I gently coax the branch. It bends slowly but steadily towards me.

“Excellent,” Morrigan says softly. “Now, without breaking your connection to the tree, I want you to try to sense the other plants around you.”

Keeping part of my awareness on the oak branch, I expand my senses outward. I feel the vibrant energy of wildflowers, the sturdy presence of nearby shrubs, the delicate tendrils of vines creeping up tree trunks.

“Good,” Morrigan murmurs. “Now, try to make a flower bloom.”

I focus on a closed bud nearby, gently encouraging it to open. Slowly, the petals unfurl, revealing a beautiful purple bloom.

A surge of joy rushes through me at this small accomplishment. The surge travels through my connection to the plants around me, and suddenly, flowers are blooming everywhere, vines are growing rapidly, and even the massive oak tree is sprouting new leaves.

“Matilda, control it!” Morrigan warns sharply.

But it’s too late. My emotions have amplified the magick beyond my ability to rein it in. The forest around us explodes into wild, accelerated growth. Vines twist upwards, flowers burst open only to immediately wilt and regrow, trees groan as new branches sprout and extend at unnatural speeds. The clearing is rapidly filling with riotous plant growth.

Panic floods through me as I can’t stop the surge of power flowing through me and into the plants. It’s like trying to dam a raging river with my bare hands. The more I struggle against it, the stronger it seems to become.

Suddenly, I feel Morrigan’s hands gripping my shoulders. Her voice cuts through my panic: “Breathe, Matilda. Don’t fight it. Let it flow through you, but don’t direct it. Be a conduit, not a source.”

I try to follow her instructions, forcing myself to stop resisting the flood of energy. Instead, I imagine myself as a hollow vessel, letting the power pass through me without trying to control or contain it.

Gradually, the frenzied growth around us begins to slow. The vines stop their manic climbing, new buds cease bursting forth. The forest settles into an eerie stillness, looking like it’s been through decades of growth in mere minutes.

As the last of the excess energy dissipates, my knees buckle. Morrigan catches me before I can collapse entirely.

“I’m sorry,” I gasp, looking around at the transformed clearing in dismay. “I didn’t mean to?—”

Morrigan cuts me off gently. “This is why we train, Matilda. Power like yours isn’t easily controlled. What you just did was actually quite impressive, even if unintentional.”

I look around at the overgrown clearing, still feeling shaken. “But I could have caused real damage. What if there had been people nearby?”

“That’s precisely why we’re practising here, away from others,” Morrigan says. “And why it’s so crucial you learn to harness your abilities properly. This forest can handle a bit of overgrowth. Creatures are more fragile.”

I nod, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “So what now?”

Morrigan studies me for a moment. “I think that’s enough active practice for today. Let’s work on some mental exercises to help you centre yourself and maintain control even when your emotions are running high. Sit down and close your eyes.”

Doing as she says, I breathe and try to relax. The gentle hum of nature surrounds us, as birds chirp in the background and the soft breeze rustles through the leaves. I focus on my breathing, letting all my worries and stress melt away. As we progress through each exercise, I become more centred and at peace, though the mental exertion leaves me feeling physically drained. But it’s a small price to pay for the tranquillity and clarity I have gained from this session.

“You did well today,” Morrigan says as we prepare to leave the forest. “Remember, this is just the beginning. With time and practice, you’ll gain more control.”

I nod, hoping she’s right. As we exit the forest, I see Vex waiting at the boundary. His eyes widen as he takes in my dishevelled appearance.

“Rough first day?” he asks.

I manage a weak smile. “You could say that. I may have accidentally caused a few decades’ worth of plant growth in about five minutes.”

Vex’s eyebrows shoot up. “Impressive. And slightly terrifying.”

Morrigan chuckles. “She did very well, all things considered. Matilda has a natural affinity for magick.”

“That’s good, right?” I ask hesitantly.

“It’s excellent,” Morrigan assures me. “But it also means you have a lot of raw power to learn to control. We’ll work on that more tomorrow.”

I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension about future lessons.

“Get some rest,” Morrigan says. “You’ve earned it. I’ll see you at dusk, and we will have another go.”

As she walks away, Vex puts an arm around my shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you some food. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“Food sounds amazing,” I admit. My stomach growls loudly as if to emphasise the point.

Vex laughs as we walk towards the dining hall. I lean into him, grateful for his solid presence. “Where are Luc and Draven?”

“Waiting in the dining hall.”

I pick up my pace, eager to see them and have food. As we enter, I spot Luc and Draven at a table near the back.

“You look like you’ve been through the wringer,” Luc says, kicking out a chair for me.

I collapse into it gratefully. “You have no idea.”

Draven slides a plate piled high with food in front of me. “Eat. You need to replenish your energy.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I dig in, barely pausing between bites of toast and jam, scones and other assorted pastries as I recount my training session with Morrigan. The guys listen intently, exchanging glances as I describe the surge of power that caused the forest to explode with growth.

Luc nods. “At least you didn’t accidentally set anything on fire. That was my go-to move when I was first learning to control my powers.”

I can’t help but laugh at that. “Small mercies, I guess.”

“You’re doing great, Tilly,” Draven says softly. “This kind of power isn’t easy to control. It’ll take time.”

I nod, pushing my now-empty plate away. “I know. I’m untrained even in the most basic magick. It sucks, but I’ll catch up. I have to.”

“When is your next session?” Draven asks.

“Dusk. So at least I have the day to rest and eat and pretend I know what I’m doing.”

“Sounds good,” Vex says. “I have classes to teach and attend. How boring compared.”

I giggle and lean forward to kiss him. “You will do great, Professor.”

His eyes darken. “Hmm, call me that while you’re riding my dick. I think I might like it.”

I smile slowly, thinking I might like it too.